Monday, May 11, 2009

Secretary Clinton came down to the briefing room and spoke to the media at the State Department to announce the release of Iranian-American journalist Roxana Saberi from prison in Iran. She then introduced Ian Kelly as the new State Department spokesman, thanked Robert Wood publicly and turned over the briefing to the new spokesman. This video of State Department Press Briefing with Secretary Clinton & Spokesman Ian Kelly is from c-span as it has not been posted in state.gov yet.

Ian Kelly is a career Foreign Service officer, a Russia hand, who has recently served as the director of State’s Office of Russian Affairs. He has also served in Milan, St. Petersburg, Moscow, Belgrade, Vienna, Washington, Ankara, Rome and Brussels. He was spokesman at US Embassy Rome and I think did the same gig at the US Embassy Ankara.He will reportedly serve as the chief spokesman and daily briefer. Will post the official bio when it becomes available.I understand that career FSO, Robert Wood who has been acting spokesman since Sean McCormack’s departure will stay on as his deputy. Meanwhile, their soon-to-be boss, Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs-designate, PJ Crowley, will appear at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for his nomination hearing this week.

Update 4:06 PM EST
Video of Secretary Clinton & Spokesman Ian Kelly's first daily press brief is below; transcript for this DPB is here. Transcript of Secretary Clinton's introduction of the new spokesman is here. Then Mr. Kelly blogs about his first day at the podium over at DipNote.